There are tons of places to buy an electric fireplace, from online-only stores to big box stores to specialty hearth traders. Not all electric fireplaces, and electric fireplace sellers, were created equal. There is a lot of misinformation available on the web and in some stores, and that can mean that some customers are planning to end up with the completely wrong electric fireplace for their needs.
That offers electric fireplaces a terrible name. For that reason, we’ve created a set of what you should look for when buying an electric open fireplace, to help you make sense of different companies’ features. This list will also help you to ask the right questions to find the best information possible. Are electric fireplace safe for humans?
When buying an electric fireplace, look for a dealer who is aware of them
This is certainly critical to getting good information. What percent of their fireplace business is electric? For many fireplace stores, electric fireplaces are a final resort, sold only when they can not sell a fuel fireplace. It shows in their product selection and their sales approach. Usually are staff trained on electric fireplaces or are they just order takers?
A person can ask excellent questions, but if the salesperson provides you with incorrect information, you may never know. Have they got electric fireplaces displayed, plugged in, and fully functional? Even if you have to order online, it helps if the seller can go to a genuine fireplace and get suggestions or shoot an easy video clip for you.
Any time you buy an electric fireplace, verify the installation options
Several of our clients want to set up their fireplace into a wall or cabinet. Most of our fireplaces can do this. On the other hand, we regularly listen to those who have purchased an inexpensive fireplace elsewhere, only to find that it can not be installed remotely into their wall structure. Conversely, some individuals are forced to set up the fireplace on the wall surface.
It may amaze one to know that every handful of our electric fireplaces is equipped with wall-mount brackets to allow a surface-mounted unit installation. However, nearly all of our on-wall linear fireplaces can be installed in the wall, just to further befuddle things. Thinking of adding an electric fireplace outdoors?
Just a few are rated for this! Do not believe anything – examine the installation manual and become sure. Better yet, ask a proficient fireplace dealer who has experience with electric fireplace installation.
When shopping for an electric fireplace, purchase a guarantee and service
Many reputable electric fireplace manufacturers give you a two-year guarantee on elements; a few of these warranties include labor in the first year. The particular minimum guarantee period among our fireplace models is one year, and the maximum is 5 years, including parts and labor. More important is the reality that all reputable, brand-name electric fireplace manufacturers make parts available for long-run service.
Most of our customers are proceeding to be setting up their fireplaces into custom walls or wall units. It may be extremely inconvenient and expensive to have to affect the fireplace if it stopped working. The particular availability of elements allows us to service our clients’ fireplaces long after they are installed. We are often asked what the difference is between higher-priced electric fireplaces and less expensive fireplaces.
The answer is quality and the availability of parts. Unbranded electric fireplaces have little if any warranty, and there are no elements available to service the units should they break down. Your current only option is to eliminate them from the wall and hope you can find an alternative to fit the same opening.
When buying a power fireplace, listen closely for excessive sound, personally or in reviews
A properly functioning, the well-made electric fireplace should be almost silent (unless it happens in the future with crackling noise clips. ) Fire rods should move quietly inside the unit, and the heater blower should not be entertaining. Yes, you will hear the water heater blower, but some are almost noiseless, and the favorable ones will not affect normal conversation or watching TV.
Blowers might have higher options that push out more air, and therefore produce more sound, but this is usually a momentary setting and can be turned down. In the event, the blower is always noisy, or the fireplace is squeaky, look for an improved model.
When shopping for an electric fireplace, glance at the flame quality
Once you get a TV SET, you compare picture quality. Likewise, when you get a fireplace, compare flame quality. Not all fire flames are created equivalent; some look more realistic than others. Talking about reasonable, beauty with the eye of the beholder; if you like more intensive red flames, be certain the electric fireplace you get has that option.
If you like the versatility of changing flames from blue to tangerine to yellow, and multi-colors in between, make certain to ask about that feature. Once you mount the fireside in your home, it is considered the flames you will focus on, so make confident you’re going to like what you see.
When buying the fireplace, find out about heating output
Yes, most electric fireplaces have heaters. The fire on an electric fireplace may be operated with or without the heat tank turned on. In the event your room is warm therefore you want to enjoy a fireplace without making any heat, you can do that. Occasionally, you can run the heat tank minus the flames, which is helpful if you need to keep a particular space at a steady temperature even though you’re not there.
The maximum heating output on an electric fireplace is limited by the capability it draws; most fireplaces that hook up to a regular 120-volt shop will produce way up to 5000 BTUs of heat, enough to warm up a 400 sq foot area.
Even so, only some electric fireplaces are wired to take good things about this maximum, found lower heat output. In that case, there are some electric fireplaces that can hook up to 240 volts as well as one hundred twenty volts. The 240-volt connection provides good luck to the heater, so the fireplace can heat up a larger area. In the event you don’t think you will want the heat tank, then actual productivity might not exactly matter to you.
If you intend to use the heat tank, then make certain to get an electric fireplace that suits how big the area you are heating. If heat is important for you, be certain that your fireplace is thermostatically handled, as your heater; you can establish the temperature you prefer, and the fireplace will routine the heater off and on to keep you too setting.
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